Chapter 3 Slave girl
by James Neal
Summary: This is a continuation of Destiny for Two but is included in the main story line After deciding to take care of the slave girl Pep Pudin Matt and her have become lovers. It soon becomes evident that her past life of nonstop abuse and degradation still governs her actions. Matt is now charged with taking charge of her rehabilitation as well as enjoying the delights she offers him.


Matt is a mercenary soldier. He joined the military on his home world right out of school. He always was interested in all things military and after his enlistment was up he left with some friends and joined a mercenary group. For the next few years he saw action in several small wars and even fought for the Separatists in the Clone Wars. He was never very politically minded and only fought on their side because of the pay. After the war ended and peace was declared he spent time as hired muscle and as an enforcer for whoever would pay. He heard about some Rebel Agents looking for good fighters through a smuggling team of two women. Stella star and her partner K.C. .

Pep Pudin was is a feliod cat girl slave. She was born in a slave camp and was sold into service very young. She has had several masters over the years and all have abused her. Recently she was on a ship with her master. The ship was stopped and boarded by two large Sith warriors. They took Stella Star with them and let the ship continue on it's way. A day later the ship was attacked by pirates and Pep's master was killed. After being taken to the pirate base she was able to gain her freedom from the pirates by telling Stella's friends what she had seen about the sith warriors taking Stella . She was free but with no money and skills it was just a matter of time till she was returned to slavery on the pirate base. Pep had a good feeling about Matt and begged him to take her as his slave. She swore to do anything he wanted but please do not leave her with the pirates. Matt was immediately attracted to her, after all the cat girls had been bred for their beauty and seductive qualities for centuries. Matt took her with him but he insisted that to him she was free and could leave any time she wanted. At this time they are more like a team. Pep takes care of all of Matt's needs and Matt protects her and lets her stay with him.

Chapter 3

Slave girl

The morning light came into the room without warning. It was a binary star system and the morning light is quite severe if not accustomed to it. Matt opened his eyes just a crack because of the sudden brightness. Pep was still asleep with her arm and head resting on his chest. It was already getting hot in the room because of the twin suns. The environmental regulator had not started to equalize the temperature yet. No big surprise since this room was not in a high-end hotel. It never seemed to be able to get the temperature right.

Matt looked down at Pep; she was awake and looking back up at him with a sleepy smile on her pretty face. He smiled back at her; she gave him a gentle squeeze and a hug and began to kiss his stomach slowly. Matt laid back and closed his eyes. This was the life. He had a steady gig and income for a change. No more scrounging for merc work or if he did find something it was working for some jerk at jerk pay like half the guys that he has had to go up against. And then there was Pep. She was just dropped into his lap. His own personal servant, he didn't think of her as a slave but as his…uh, more like a personal assistant. After all he didn't own her he just agreed to protect her and take care of her needs as long as she wanted to stay with him. It was up to her if she wanted to leave or not but she never complained about their arrangement, she was always happy to drop into his lap.

Pep was moving down Matt's left leg, she was slowly dragging her long black hair up and down with long gentile strokes occasionally giving him a slight smile. She was good at making men happy. The way she was raised there was no other choice. Matt was the kindest man she had ever been with. It was the first time she had the choice not to be with a master if she wanted. She was free to leave at any time and Matt had told her that several times. It made her sad when he said it, wasn't she making him happy? How would she survive on her own? She was born and raised into this life and would just wind up doing the same thing with some other master. But Matt didn't understand that, he thought she would just go and get a job somewhere and things would be different. Pep knew the truth of it; she would always be seen as a slave. Slavery had been smashed and beaten into her since her birth. Everyone in her family was born a slave. She was sold to a dealer before she was three and began her servitude as soon as she could walk. Pep never knew a free day in her life. She never really learned to read and right any language. She was only taught words like ,on, off, stop, go, and other basic things she needed to serve others. Everyone Matt knew was kind to her even if she was bad and said the wrong thing at times; they understood how things had been for her. They all knew what she had done in her past, vile and humiliating things. Sometimes when everyone was talking and laughing about some story from their past Pep would tell them about things she did with other people and then everyone would stop laughing. They would just look at her shocked at what she had said and then change the subject. It always made her feel dirty when they did that, those things did happen and she didn't have a choice in it. She might as well laugh about it. You learned to laugh at those things or you went mad like a friend of hers did. Her friend wasn't born a slave but became one later in life. Her friend wasn't aloud to have a name because she didn't want to do those things and this made her master angry. But Pep was her friend anyway and tried to make things easier on her when she could but eventually she went mad and hung herself. It was better to laugh at those things; at least you wouldn't want to kill yourself.

The only person that really understood was Timtam, she was a slave but to a wealthy family. It was very different in a way and yet much the same. Lionette didn't want Timtam to associate with Pep for a long time; she thought Pep would be a bad influence on her.

Matt grabbed Pep by the hair and pulled her face up to his. He was strong and forceful and Pep loved it. He looked into her beautiful eyes and kissed her deep and hard. She wanted to kiss him back the same way but she would yield to his desires like always. Matt pushed her off of him and onto her back. He looked down at this incredibly sexy creature beneath him and grabbed her wrists pinning her down. Pep threw her head back and moaned with pleasure. Matt was sure to hold down Pep's wrists tightly because he new she liked to feel she was being forced to make love but also she was a back scratcher and since she had real claws it made it a real priority to do so. They made love all morning and eventually wound up on the floor. It was very warm in the room now and both were covered in sweat. Pep was straddling Matt as he lay on his back on the cool floor. He lay there spent breathing heavily as the girl watched him. She was happy and traced patterns lightly in his chest with one hand as she held back her wet hair with the other. She would do anything for this man she thought to herself. He never made her feel degraded or dirty. He was like having a boyfriend like free women talk about. Of coarse he would tire of her one day and he would leave her with someone else but today she would pretend he was a boyfriend. Pep jumped up and quickly got a glass of water for him and a cool moist towel. Matt was back in the bed now sitting on the edge; she gave him the water and gently wiped the sweat from his body.

" You know I'm in love with you Pep?" Matt said with his head still looking down. Pep slid back away from Matt and covered herself instinctively with the towel. "Why?" she said quietly. Matt turned and looked at her puzzled. "Why what?" he answered. "Why are you being cruel, please don't say that master, it's cruel."

Matt tried to take her hand but she pulled away. He was shocked; Pep had never pulled away from him even the times she had mistakenly thought he was going to hit her. Pep pulled away and looked down and for the first time in their time together she looked angry and it was because of what he said. "Pep, it's true, I've thought about it a long time now and I'm sure I do." The girl leapt up from the bed and stood as closely in the corner of the room as she could weeping. "Pep, what's wrong, what did I say that was wrong, I do love you." Matt started across the room to reassure her. "NO ONE LOVES PEP!" The girl screamed at Matt." NO ONE LOVES A SLAVE, NO ONE LOVES A WHORE LIKE PEP!" Matt froze in his tracks. He was in shock at what he had just heard. He new Pep had been physically abused but she hid the psychological damage so well he had not expected this response. Matt stood up straight and looked at Pep. She was different now she had the look of an animal cornered. She was in a place very deep inside herself; a place that she had buried long ago and he had just pulled it up from the grave and threw it out on the ground. It was her hope. She had long ago let go of all hope of being truly an equal to any free person. Matt realized his mistake and gently said "As a friend Pep, I love you as my very close and dear friend. That's all I meant Pep, I'm sorry if it came out wrong." Matt watched as Pep quickly relaxed and got control of herself. She had yelled at her master. Normally that was unforgivable and would bring on swift punishment. "I'm sorry I got angry master…please forgive me." She said as she wiped away the tears streaming down her face. She was still not the Pep that Matt new. It would take her a while longer to get back there. "You do know that I would never hurt you Pep, I am your friend, right?" Matt said trying to reassure her. Pep then spoke in a very icey tone, " I know that eventually every one hurts Pep and you will too." Pep said in a way that, although a bit frank, was a truly an honest answer that showed that she did trust Matt. Pep was feeling awful. Matt had seen a part of her that she never wanted him to see, the insanity that she keeps in check everyday.

"You know that it's alright if you get mad once and a while Pep, I'll forgive you just like you'll forgive me because we're friends and that's what friends do for each other."

Pep walked over to Matt still clutching the towel in front of her and rested her head on his chest. "Master, do you think there is something wrong with me, am I broken inside?" Pep said not looking at Matt. Matt just laughed" Pep sweetheart I've killed people and blown things up all of my adult life. Most everyone I've ever called friend was more broken inside than you'll ever be little lady!" "And just to show you how crazy I think you are I want you to have this and carry on you at all times." Matt handed Pep a long thin knife in a sheath. "I'm not allowed, slaves can't carry weapons master." she said pushing the knife away. "Well damn it as your master I order you to carry this knife and to defend yourself with it against anyone that might hurt you."

"Master, please…."

"Are you telling me you would let anyone damage my property."? Said Matt.

"Well no I wouldn't but…"

" You do belong to me don't you?" asked Matt.

Pep took the knife from Matt and drew it from its sheath; it had a long sturdy blade and looked expensive. Pep smiled and looked up at Matt." I do belong to you Matt…. I mean master, don't I."? Pep whispered.

"Great then it's settled the knife is yours Pep." Matt was happy with himself at how he handled the situation at hand. He was a galactic wizard with women ".Matt you are a friggin genius. Yep, as long as this crazy broad doesn't cut your throat one night I guess ole' Matt is one hell of a genius' He thought to himself.

Pep laughed and in one motion leapt back into the bed and flopped on her back. She lay there for a moment looking at the knife. She rolled over and set it on the nightstand and rolled back. Matt stared at her lying splayed there as she was. She was incredible to look at. Those feline eyes and thick black hair all tasseled and sweaty. Her body raw and glistening as she writhed with outstretched arms toward him. He smiled and let out a growl as he leapt on the bed. Pep laughed and screamed as Matt nibbled at her neck. As quickly as the situation went bad things worked out between the mercenary and the slave once again. They made love for another hour. The one thing they never quarreled about was that. They had some food sent to the room for breakfast. Matt's last pay day from the rebellion was much more than usual. They had captured a star ship and sold it. His share was quiet substantial so he decided to live it up a little. They still had to keep a low profile so they were staying in a lower class hotel. But room service in a lower class motel is still not to bad. They ate and enjoyed the rest of the morning just talking with each other. A lot of things were brought out in the open that needed to be. Neither of them took these things to seriously due to the things they had gone through in their pasts. This was the little stuff and no more would be said about it.

"I need to get some more ammo." Said Matt. "Jump in the shower and get ready and I'll shower next."

"Yes master." said Pep as she skipped towards the wash room.

"I told you not to call me that." Matt said not looking up from his plate.

"Okay, master." answered Pep giggling.

Matt just shook his head and laughed to himself. He must be crazy he thought to himself. How many men would give their right arm to have this girl. She was beautiful and would do anything he wanted without hesitation. ANYTHING! And here he was trying to make her understand that she didn't have to do that. He must be the finest man in the galaxy or the dumbest.

Matt got up and climbed in the shower with Pep. They made love one more time.

Matt was just finishing getting dressed and hesitated about going outside. It would be hot and his clothes would make him all sweaty again. Now Pep's outfit was a traditional slave outfit. It was designed to cover the parts of her body that decency dictated and very little else. She was always getting attention wherever she went but she seemed to be used to it. Matt had to admit he enjoyed the idea that other men envied him because of Pep by his side looking so sexy. Pep gave a little twirl displaying herself for Matt's approval. Matt simply smiled and gave her a thumbs up and out the door they went. They walked up and down the streets of the spaceport the rest of the morning and had gone into several shops to make some purchases. After some time Matt told Pep to wait outside a small shop so he could buy them some cool drinks. The suns were getting high in the sky and the temperature was rising. When Matt came out Pep was gone and the bags of things they had bought were sitting on the ground were she had been standing. Matt thought this was strange but he figured Pep must have a good reason for just leaving the stuff there so he waited. After about five minutes he started back the way they had come. Something was wrong, he could feel it. As he passed an alley way he heard some voices and laughing from down around the corner. Matt set down the bags at the entrance of the alley and carefully started to walk towards the sounds.

"Pep? Are you down there?" Matt called. At once the voices stopped and Matt quickly turned the corner with his hand on his blaster.

There was Pep naked and on her knees. Around her stood three male Feloids, two had their pants down and the third was holding their gear including their guns. Matt was in shock. This is the last thing he had expected.

"Keep moving human." the first one said in with a heavy Feloid accent. Matt always thought Feloid accents had a nice quality to them but he wasn't enjoying this one. Matt's shock became rage in that second and he drew his blaster and pointed it at the Feloid that just spoke.

"Let her go." Matt struggled not to shoot them where they stood.

"What concern of this is yours Human?" said the second Feloid.

"She's my friend so let her go!" Matt was losing his patients.

Pep just knelt there with her head down.

The Feloids all looked in amazement at what he had just said, they began to laugh. "Slaves can't be friends." One of them finally said. "You can't trust a slave!"

"Well trust this ,if you don't let her go right now I will kill you all." Matt spoke in a clear calm tone as he pointed his blaster at each one of them.

The first Feliod realized this was not a game to Matt. "Go!" is all he said to Pep.

Pep remained motionless not sure of what to do.

"Go, now!" the Feloid repeated sternly.

Pep stood up quickly and grabbed her clothes. She looked at Matt. She seemed ashamed and needed encouragement.

"It's okay Pep, come here." Matt said not taking his eyes off of any of the three.

"Put your clothes on Pep." Was all he said when she reached his side. She quickly dressed and stood behind Matt.

"We're leaving now and I hope none of you will do anything to stop that." Matt said.

The Feloids laughed a little and the first one said smiling," My friend, there is no need to worry, we can always find another whore." They began to laugh out loud now.

Matt raised his hand and leveled his blaster at the one that just spoke. Quickly Pep put her hand on Matt's arm and said solemnly" He's right, let's just go."

One of the Feloids said, " The human thought this slave is worth a fight, keep her we'll find another." The three took up their weapons and left the alley not even paying Matt any attention.

It was as if the whole incident was about a taxi. The Feloids had realized that Matt had claim to it first and just let him have it. To them Pep was a slave and slaves are things, not people. What had made it worse in their eyes was Pep was with a Human, not even another Feloid. This was the real deal ender for them. She was completely worthless now. Matt lowered his gun slowly as the Feloids walked past him and continued down the street as if none of this had happened.

Matt looked at Pep, she was standing there next to him with her head down silent. She was waiting to be yelled at or beaten. Matt gently put his arm around her and held her close. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Pep still looking down shook her head yes.

"Do you want to go back to the room?" he asked. He really didn't have a clue what to do next. If this was a straight up rape attempt it would be easy to handle, Three dead bodies in an alley and one hero standing over them. This was completely different. The three might have simply told her to come with them and because of years of conditioning she didn't know how to say no. That never would have been tolerated in Feloid society. She most likely just went with them and hoped they'd be done with her before he returned so they could finish their shopping.

"No, we should keep shopping you still need to buy your ammo." Pep said still looking down. Matt could tell she was embarrassed and her actions put Matt in a position of nearly killing three people but what choice did she have?

Matt took a long look at Pep. She was standing still head down in her slave outfit in complete submissiveness. Damn she looked like a whore, why hadn't he seen it before? This was as much his fault as anyone's.

"Come on." Matt said grabbing her hand a leading her down the street. Pep followed obediently as Matt looked up and down the street. He saw what he was looking for across the street and nearly drug her into oncoming traffic. They made it to the other side in one piece and entered the shop Matt was looking for. It was a ladies clothing shop. Almost as soon as they walked in the woman behind the counter rushed out and protested ,"Sir you can't bring her in here with you, this is a respectable store."

Matt went to the front door and locked it. The woman went white with fear. He then put the closed sign in the window and walked toward the shop owner.

"Don't hurt me." Her voice was trembling slightly.

Matt stopped and looked at her surprised. "No No I just want you to fix this." Matt pointed to Pep. The woman wasn't sure just what he meant. "You know make her look nice."

The woman looked at Pep standing there in her usual head down posture and it hit her that Matt was trying in his own way to help this poor girl.

"Sir I'm really not sure I can help you." She said a little more relaxed.

"Whatever it costs." Matt said placing his credstick in the register.

The woman walked over and looked at the read out of the amount on the credstick and her eyes widened. Matt had been very well paid for the last mission and the salvage of the ship.

"This may take some time sir, would you like to go and come back when we're ready?" she asked.

Remembering what happened just a little while ago he pulled up a chair and made himself comfortable," I think I'll wait." He said.

"Please don't master I'll be good, I won't leave with others anymore." Pep said almost in tears. The woman looked at Matt in shock at what Pep had just said.

"Now no more joking around Pep and let the nice lady do her job so she can over charge me for all this inconvenience we're causing her." Matt just smiled. He would fix everything.

The woman was as professional as she could be under the circumstances. She had never had to makeover a slave before. Pep was no help at all and even broke down and cried a few times. This was all new to her and frightening. Matt had decided the only way to help Pep not to think of herself as a slave is to not parade her around dressed like one. If she didn't look like one then she wouldn't be treated like on he thought. The woman tried all kinds of clothes on Pep but since she wasn't able to make a decision Matt chose to go with some plain ordinary clothes. The type of clothes that any young woman might wear. Pep stood in front of Matt in one of her new outfits. She was noticeably uncomfortable wearing so much clothing. She felt a little better when Matt told her how much he liked her new clothes and commented how jealous Timtam would be of her new look. Pep new Timtam wouldn't be jealous at all but most likely feel happy for Pep. Feloid slaves had a long secret history of lying to their masters about how they felt towards each other. The slaves helped each other constantly without the freeborns ever knowing it.

"Your bill sir." the woman handed Matt the payment slot.

Matt looked at the amount and then at the woman "Didn't we meet at the Denoapian Rift?" Matt referred to a known area of space well known for slash and run pirate attacks. The woman just smiled and looked at Pep. Matt had to admit she looked good, not sexy good but nice good. She made him think of the girls back in school he was to shy to talk to. Matt paid the woman and took Pep by the hand and left.

They hadn't gone half a block when they ran directly into the three Feloids coming out of a shop. They burst out laughing when they saw Pep in her new clothes. Pep took Matt's arm and pulled in close to him.

"Look, the fool has bought the whore a new pile of rags." the first one said.

Matt drew his blaster and shot each one in the leg, they all fell screaming in pain. "Not funny now is it you fucking cowards!" Matt had enough of these bullies. He didn't care about their cultural differences or respecting them. They were now showing him disrespect and now he had to show them that they weren't picking on a little slave girl anymore. Matt stomped on each ones wounded leg as they howled in pain. One made a half hearted grab fore his side arm and Matt shot him in his wrist taking the hand completely off. He then made them give him all their money and valuables. Pep begged Matt to stop but he just shot her a glance of such utter anger she froze in horror.

"I'm gonna kill one of you bastards to teach the others a lesson." Matt said coldly standing over them. "I'm even going to let you assholes decide which one I kill."

They all started to point at each other and explain why they should kill the other.

"You make me sick just watching you cut each others throats." Matt started shooting at them all they all began screaming until he stopped. He hadn't shot any of them.

Matt stood looking at them as they cowered on the ground relieved they were not dead and began to laugh. He took Pep by the hand and walked off. He felt better now that things had been made right. He should have gone with his gut earlier in the alley and shot them there. He was trying to understand and respect traditions of another culture that were wrong. The same traditions that made Pep what she was. He no longer cared that the Feloids were loyal friends of the rebellion. If any of them showed Pep any disrespect he'd set that right too.

Pep was crying as they walked and Matt pulled her up to him a little more roughly than he meant to. "Why are you crying now!" Matt snapped at her.  
"Because you really do love me. I didn't think it was possible but you really do." Pep was nearly fainting in his arms. Matt took her in his arms and held her tight as she cried. They stood there for what seemed like hours but it was just minutes. Pep was finally a free person. The shock of seeing Matt destroy her tormenters was as if he had destroyed the years of conditioning she had endured. The traditions could be destroyed as surely as he had broken the ones that humiliated her. They were not all powerful anymore in her eyes. They in all their misguided wisdom had pushed her so far down in their world that she wound up in Matt's. She was no longer a part of their world, she was in Matt's world with his rules and his friends. They would not let anyone harm her again and she could help them too. In his world it really didn't matter that she was a slave. To them she was Pep and they would let her be anything she wanted to be. She would not only be free but an equal. All of these thoughts were racing in her mind. She had options in her life and she had no idea what was the right thing to do. It was all so overwhelming all she could do was cry with happiness. Matt took her to the edge of the street and hailed a taxi. He helped her in and had the driver take them back to the hotel.

Matt wasn't sure why but she just kept crying. He had never seen her this way before and was getting a little nervous. Matt just stayed with her as she lay on the bed crying. At times he would try to ask her if she wanted anything but she just kept crying.

For Pep it was as if years of repressed sadness had been set free all at once. A type of grieving in some ways. Grieving for all the things she had done and all the things done to her. Her very essence was being cleansed . She cried for hours until she fell asleep from crying. Matt was worried about her and stayed up all night watching her.

Pep had awakened suddenly. She was having a dream that she was being chased by a huge black cloud and no matter where she tried to hide the cloud would find it's way into the place and try to pull her back into itself. The first thing she saw was the binary suns shining into the room. They were blinding her but in the light she saw a figure of a man getting closer, it was Matt.

"Are you alright Pep." Matt asked feeling kind of responsible for some reason he wasn't quiet sure of.

"Ugh, don't look at me. I must look terrible." Pep new she had been crying all night and her eyes must be all puffy and red.

"If your worried about your looks this soon you must be feeling better." Matt said trying to make a joke.

"Matt why did you always treat me so well, even from when we first met?" Pep asked Matt.

Matt was a little taken back, he never thought about it. "You know how you always did what others told you to do with out thinking about it?" replied Matt.

"Yes." Pep answered.

" Well I had been raised my whole life to do the right thing always no matter what the consequences." Matt said.

"Is it really that clear to you, doing the right thing?" Pep was noticeably different in her attitude.

"Yeah, I guess, I never really questioned if there is any other choice. I guess if there is a right way and a wrong way you have to go with the right way don't you? Answered Matt.

Pep just looked at him for a long time. Matt began to feel his answer was wrong or something.

Pep smiled at Matt ,"You really have no idea just how rare that is do you?"

"What do you mean?" Matt still didn't get it.

"In this whole galaxy you are the only person that would have saved me, do you understand what that means to me?" Pep was very serious.

"I'm not sure Pep, I wish I understood you better but It will take time." Matt said feeling like he was really close but just wasn't catching on.

"It means I can really be free. It means …I feel free, I'm not a slave any more. I don't feel like a slave any more." She was looking deep into Matt's eyes. How could he not know how unique he was? How could a man not know how heroic he was?

"Matt I can love you back now, as an equal and not as a slave." Pep truly was different now. Something had been released inside during the night and she would never go back again to the way she was.

"Hey that's great." Was the only thing Matt could think of to say .The weirdness of hearing Pep talk this way, as an equal was pretty strange. He always wanted her to feel this way but he assumed it would take some time. He was just surprised it happened over night.

Pep knew that Matt couldn't understand what she went through or how what he did effected her so strongly.

"Just hold me close for a while." she said as she pulled him close.

They had entered a new level in their lives together. Two lives that never should have met and yet they needed to meet. They needed each other so much that the galaxy itself threw them together. One man and one woman each of a different race and culture. Separated by millions of miles of frozen vacuum only to find each other beyond all probability.


End file.
